Evil will not win…

Yesterday, God brought to my attention that the evil beings in this world, meaning the fallen angels, will not prevail forever.

I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (Psalm 82:6–7)

One cult uses this verse as ‘proof’ that Jesus is only ‘a god’ because it calls other people gods. They do not read it carefully or understand that the terms used to describe gods refer to fallen angels, including Satan and all demons. More than one verse clarifies that the ‘sons of God” is not a term for people. For example: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6)

The Bible calls those who are saved “children” of God and being in the family of God, and Christ is our ‘brother’ but this term from Psalm 82, by its context, is not about people but about those creatures who darken the minds of people. Nevertheless, like people. They will die.

That they will also “fall like any prince” is a good reminder that the human leaders of this world will eventually die too. Over the centuries, and even in the OT, evil leaders ruled for a time and made life miserable for many of their subjects, but they do not live forever. In other words, focus on the facts. Evil people are also terminal. As someone once said, “We may choose what we want in the supermarket of life, but eventually we have to go through the checkout.”

Not only that, today’s devotional points to the last verse of Psalm 82:

Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! (Psalm 82:8)

We are experiencing cosmic conflict, yet God repeats many times that the world is His, even though the gods are permitted for a season to wreak havoc. The Lord wants His people to see beyond their schemes of sin and realize this activity is suicidal and will end. One day, “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14) He even says, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” (Psalm 2:8) Evil will not win it; we will!

I’ve sometimes said that because I’ve read His book, I know the ending — Jesus wins! I don’t fully understand why God allows this war filled with its horror stories and deeds done by blinded people who seem to have no regard for their own lives, never mind the lives of others, but trusting God means faith in what He says, not in what I can see or figure out. And He says, “Jesus wins.” And He also says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) I don’t win because I experience the victory over evil in this world but because of the peace in my heart that God will do what He says. 

PRAY: God, again I am thankful that the so-called ‘ruler of this world’ is on a short leash. He answers to You and one day will be tossed in the lake of fire created just for him and his demons. In the meantime, You remain sovereign and all he desires must pass Your scrutiny. Only what You can use for good and to demonstrate Your glory is allowed. Thank You for letting me know who wins this war for human souls — and I pray You will make known to many the reality of Your Holy power and grace.

Lord, I need to be filled to the brim!

This morning started well but quickly became frustrating when my computer would not go beyond the lock screen. Rebooting revealed the cause: keyboard failure. Good thing I kept the old wired one, but then discovered my wireless mouse would not work either. Bluetooth problems? Everything else on Bluetooth worked. The mystery remains unsolved but hubby had a spare wired mouse. I felt a need for patience, the kind that God gives.

With that, I picked FILL as a word that describes what God does. After several searches and a bit of time, it became clear that I am dabbling with languages that I know very little about and need to be careful that my assumptions have real value.

For instance, Hebrew seems to have one word for FILL defined as “to make full (with a sufficient quantity); whether literally or figuratively.” Greek has two (that I could find), both with the same definition as the Hebrew word. While one of them is always used when referring to being filled with God’s Spirit, it is used for other things too, often the same things as the other word.

So I’m confused, not that the findings have no implications but that I’ve little clue what they are. Instead, the verses, in English, tell me about  the power of God to fill His people with what we need. And I feel needy today . . .

Fills with skill to do the work He asks us to do: Exodus 35:35 describes the people who “He filled with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.”

Fills His place of worship with His glory: 2 Chronicles 7:1–2: “As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house.”

Fills the whole earth with His glory: Numbers 14:20–21: Then the Lord said, “I have pardoned, according to your word. But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” and Habakkuk 2:14: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

Fills us with whatever we need: Psalm 81:10: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”

Fills all places; no one can hide from Him: Jeremiah 23:24: “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.”

Fills His people with His power to do right and declare truth: Micah 3:8: “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.”

Fills His people with His Spirit: (a generous supply!) Acts 2:4: “And (the disciples) were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Fills His people with joy, peace and hope because of the  power of the Holy Spirit: Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Fills Jesus who then fills all things: Ephesians 1:22–23: “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Fill me Lord with all that is needed to do Your will this day.